"Could this be why Usher guarded Celestial Fortress so obsessively?"
Orson squinted, lost in thought.
He vaguely remembered how players used to joke about Usher's wildly fluctuating levels, as erratic as his unpredictable, manic personality.
It now seemed clear that in the previous timeline, Usher had tried challenging the God-Emperor every year but never succeeded—even during the Hardcore Mode.
The consequences of failure were brutal: losing 50 levels and having all Forbidden Magic-tier
destroyed. Even someone like Usher couldn't withstand such devastating losses.
Choice 1: Gain the God-Emperor's secrets, control the fortress, and obtain a divine Soul Seal.
It was evident that Usher had chosen this option in the past, taking the God-Emperor's sword to claim control of Celestial Fortress.
Choice 2: Sacrifice the fortress but gain dual-class awakening with seamless transitions.
This option was equally tempting. With proper development, a player's individual combat power could reach unparalleled heights.
"A choice with no downsides? Interesting," Orson muttered with a faint smile.
Whether in the world of Infinite Dimensions or the fusion world, the gods rarely handed out rewards for nothing.
Even Female Dorm God, who had earned an Epic Rank Human Soul Seal in the starter village, did so by helping a fisherman out of the kindness of his heart.
When faced with two seemingly beneficial options, the real question arose: was this truly a reward?
It was like a shiny wrapper around cheap chocolate—no matter how appealing it looked, no one would mistake it for a treasure.
"You have 10 seconds to decide."
The prompt reappeared as a grand statue materialized outside the palace.
Curious, Orson tried to inspect it.
"Sky Sovereign · Kael Gaedashiram · Pilgrimage Statue."
The figure was tall and muscular, holding a blazing greatsword pointed toward the heavens. His expression exuded an indomitable will, as if challenging the very sky.
"He does resemble Cain a little," Orson murmured.
A glowing path appeared beneath the statue, guiding him to kneel in reverence.
All he had to do was bow his head, and immense rewards would be his.
Most players would likely choose this route without hesitation. But Orson's ambitions lay elsewhere, and bowing to a dead spirit was far from his intentions.
"Kneel to you? Dream on," Orson sneered, shaking his head.
"If you fail to decide before the timer ends, you will forever lose the God-Emperor's blessings!"
Ignoring the countdown, Orson calmly walked toward the God-Emperor's Palace.
"You have refused the God-Emperor's blessings!"
"You have permanently lost the divine Soul Seal [Insight of the Elemental God]!"
"You have permanently lost the artifact [God-Emperor Sword]!"
Orson froze for a moment. Letting a divine item slip through his fingers hurt more than he cared to admit.
Suddenly, the quest log began to glow.
"With incomprehensible willpower, you have rejected the God-Emperor's blessings!"
"Exclusive quest: [Heavenly Spirit's Right Eye] updated!"
"Difficulty: Beyond Legendary."
"Quest: The Super God-grade divine Soul Seal is within reach. You must demand it from the God-Emperor's soul."
Orson blinked. "That simple?"
As he stepped into the ornate palace, its grandeur far surpassed what the exterior had suggested. Towering white pillars stretched toward the heavens, supporting an impossibly high dome.
At the center stood Cain, his back to Orson, muttering to an unseen entity. Beside him, Enluka lay crouched, eyeing Orson warily.
"I am your bloodline. I am destined to bring the God-Emperor's light back into this world!"
"No one is more qualified to inherit everything here—no one!"
"False god! How dare you say I am unworthy? How dare you!"
Cain's voice grew increasingly agitated until it erupted into a furious roar. He drew his sword and pointed it at the gilded throne.
"You are nothing but a fragment of my ancestor's will. You do not represent him! False god, hand over the God-Emperor Sword!"
Cain's body radiated an overwhelming aura of elemental energy.
Orson's eyes narrowed as he turned to the supreme figure on the throne. His heart skipped a beat—it was a towering skeleton.
Despite being mere bones, the skeleton radiated an oppressive, suffocating presence.
The surrounding space trembled uncontrollably. The corpse sat motionless, yet the very fabric of the area seemed unable to withstand its existence.
As Cain roared, the golden skeleton emitted a dazzling holy light. Soul flames ignited within its sunken eye sockets.
"Kneel."
The voice was commanding, resonating through the hall like a thunderclap.
With a sharp hum, the God-Emperor Sword pierced through the ceiling and embedded itself in the ground before Cain.
A boundless wave of sword energy surged outward, as if it could sweep across the universe. Cain's face turned pale, and his knees buckled, slamming into the palace floor.
Enluka trembled violently, prostrate and unable to move.
"Damn it, what's happening now? I feel like Usher's entire world is collapsing!"
The Celestial Fortress quaked violently, leaving all players within its bounds visibly shaken.
Bradley, frowning, stared toward the fortress's depths. "Orson isn't in trouble, is he?"
Madman: "Trouble? Ha! I'm more worried that kid's going to bring the fortress crashing down on us. Then we're all going down together!"
Cain knelt on the ground, defiant despite his humiliation. His bloodshot eyes glared at the golden skeleton.
"False god… I refuse to submit!"
The golden sword hilt trembled, unleashing a barrage of golden sword beams that sliced through Cain's knees.
Slice!
Endless Strike: -10,000,000!
Endless Strike: -10,000,000!
Standing behind them, Orson was dumbfounded. Even if he had suspected this was "scripted," seeing damage in the tens of millions per second was shocking.
Cain was forced to yield. His legs were severed, blood pooling around him, and his health dropped to a mere 1 HP.
Enluka remained flat on the ground, not daring to so much as glance upward.
"I've never seen a dragon so obedient before," Orson quipped, laughing.
Enluka gave him a resentful glare but dared not retort.
The skeleton on the throne was Kael Gaedashiram, the Sky Sovereign who once led a celestial army to dominate the rise and fall of two great empires in Infinite Dimensions.
His power was beyond the comprehension of both players and NPCs. Even mighty dragons were forced to bow.
"Because you bear my blood, I will not banish you. But you are unworthy to walk in my name."
"Your mission remains unchanged—to help the creatures of Infinite Dimensions survive the apocalypse."
The ethereal voice echoed through the hall, serene as a breeze.
Cain's expression shifted between rage and despair.
To Orson, the words struck like a thunderclap.
"This God-Emperor isn't simple. Could the gods be using him to hint at the coming of the Heaven Demons?"
The idea made sense. Infinite Dimensions served as a massive factory of war. Allowing a select few players to foresee the Hardcore Mode and issue early warnings could be vital.
Cain gritted his teeth. "You let me see the truth of this world, only to make me serve others?!"
The God-Emperor's soul spoke calmly: "You and I are but vessels of the Creator's will."
"I refuse! I am destined to rule! I will take what is mine—now!"
Cain's bloodshot eyes gleamed with malevolence as he activated Body Domination Recovery. His severed legs regenerated, and his health surged.
Stretching out his hand, he grasped the God-Emperor Sword, trying to pull it from the ground.
"Aaaah—!"
A searing golden flame erupted from the sword hilt, climbing up Cain's arm.
The flesh on his hand vanished, purified into nothingness.
Divine Fire Burn: -10,000,000!
Divine Fire Burn: -10,000,000!
Cain's health dropped back to 1 HP, and the sword seemed to mock his hubris with a sharp, piercing hum.
"I am an Awakener. I will not yield to the insects of another world…"
Cain turned, his venomous gaze locking onto Orson.
Orson shrugged, stepping forward casually. "Your family squabble has nothing to do with me…"
Stopping beside Cain, Orson's smirk widened. "But Kael Gaedashiram, you're far too greedy, trying to trick me into leaving with your so-called blessing."
The golden skeleton remained silent, but Cain's eyes widened in disbelief as Orson reached for the God-Emperor Sword.
Enluka growled in alarm. "Burn him! Burn this heretic who killed my dragonlings!"
As Orson gripped the hilt, a dazzling light burst from his left eye.
Instead of divine flames, a faint silver crystal embedded in the sword's hilt glowed, resonating with Orson's gaze.
Orson laughed boldly. "Kael Gaedashiram, it's time you returned what you owe my friend."